Join the American Society of Retina Specialists

Thank you for your interest in joining the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS), an organization representing more than 3,000 retina specialists worldwide. The mission of the ASRS is to provide a collegial open forum for education, to advance the understanding and treatment of vitreoretinal diseases, and to enhance the ability of its members to provide the highest quality of patient care.

Currently engaged in a 1- or 2- year fellowship in vitreoretinal diseases

Completion of an approved residency in ophthalmology in the US or Canada

Applicants’ fellowship director must complete our fellowship verification form, which will be sent to them by the ASRS at the time of application submission

Participation in ASRS Fellow’s Activity Log required

Shall pay annual dues at a reduced rate from those set for Members and International Members

Ineligible to hold office or vote

International Fellow-in-Training (FIT)

Currently engaged in a fellowship in vitreoretinal diseases

Completion of an approved residency in ophthalmology outside of the US or Canada

Applicants’ fellowship director must complete our fellowship verification form, which will be sent to them by the ASRS at the time of application submission

Shall pay annual dues at a reduced rate from those set for Members and International Members

Ineligible to hold office or vote

Fellow-in-Training upgrade guidelines:

Following completion of fellowship, FIT and International FIT members have six months to submit an application to upgrade to either regular or international membership in order to remain active members of the society. FIT Members who do not become board certified within six months of fellowship completion will be offered a 1 year FIT provisional membership and will be required to pay regular member dues for that year. If an FIT does not complete the upgrade process within the 6 month requirement and/or does not pay their FIT provisional membership dues, they will be required to reapply for membership and pay any corresponding application fees. Please contact the ASRS for further information including upgrade application deadlines.

Associates

A physician or scientist employed by a pharmaceutical, medical device or other health care organization whose professional focus is on the field of retina and vitreous diseases is eligible to become a Corporate Affiliate of the Society upon application and approval by the Society’s Credentials Committee and upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Members of the Board of Directors. Applicants shall submit a letter of request outlining their qualifications and desire to become a member. They must also provide two letters of recommendation from current ASRS Board of Director members and one recommendation letter from a current Member or International Member of the Society. Applicants shall pay an application fee at the time of their application submission and annual dues thereafter. A Corporate Affiliate may not vote or hold office or serve on Committees of the Society and shall pay such fees as are determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. A Corporate Affiliate may, if sponsored by a Member, participate in the Scientific Meetings of the Society, and may have access to such publications, programs and other Society benefits as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine. An individual’s status as a Corporate Affiliate shall terminate upon termination of the individual’s employment by the pharmaceutical, medical device or other corporation or upon action by the Board of Directors taken in its sole discretion.

An ophthalmologist, physician or holder of a graduate degree who has made a major scientific contribution to the field of retina and vitreous diseases is eligible to become a Scientific Associate of the Society upon approval by the Society’s Credentials Committee and upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of the Board of Directors. Applicants shall submit a letter of request outlining their qualifications and desire to become a member. They must also provide two letters of recommendation from current ASRS Board of Director members and one recommendation letter from a current Member or International Member of the Society. Applicants shall pay an application fee at the time of their application submission and annual dues thereafter. A Scientific Associate may not vote or hold office or serve on committees of the Society and shall pay such fees as are determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. Scientific Associates may participate in the Scientific Meetings of the Society and may have access to such publications, programs and other Society benefits as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine. The Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, may at any time terminate the position of any Scientific Associate.

2020 Dues Rates

Membership dues are set by the ASRS Board of Directors and will be invoiced upon acceptance into the Society. In order to remain active in the ASRS, dues must be renewed on a consecutive year-to-year basis. The ASRS requires that members re-apply if they have not submitted dues for more than two fiscal years.

Early Bird

On or before January 30

Regular

After January 30

Regular Member

$525

$550

International Member

$425

$450

FIT and International FIT Member

$0

$0

Special rate for new international members

$250

$250

Practice Administrator Member

$100

$100

Benefits of Membership

As the world's largest retina society, the ASRS offers an unparalleled global network of leading retina specialists and world-class meetings and resources to help members stay at the forefront of developments in the field and delivery of the highest quality care. Here's is a sample of benefits exclusively offered to ASRS members.

Annual Business of Retina Meeting: This unique event is designed for retina physicians and administrators to gather information and transformational strategies for boosting practice efficiency and success in the increasingly complex health care environment.

Continuing Medical Education:ASRS is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide medical education for physicians. ASRS offers many CME opportunities including our Annual Scientific Meeting, the Business of Retina Meeting, and a series oflive and enduring educational webinars, featuring leading retina specialists weighing in on a wide range of topics.

RESOURCES

Find a Retina Specialist: As a service to the general public, ASRS offers the online Find a Retina Specialist directory to help patients find retina specialists in their geographic areas. Inclusion in the online directory is reserved for ASRS members who opt to participate.

ASRS.ORG: Your ticket to all things retina begins here. The site offers a vast array of educational resources, practice and policy information, as well as industry and society news.

Retina Career Center: Members looking to fill a position in their practices or take the next step in their retina careers are invited to take advantage of the ASRS Retina Career Center for a customized, retina-focused search experience.

Retina Image Bank: A vast open-access library of more than 25,000 unique and downloadable retina images.

Best Clinical Retina Practices: The ASRS is committed to helping members maintain excellence in practice and patient care. Best Clinical Retina Practices is a growing collection of statements offering definitive guidance on what the Society deems to be the current gold standard for clinical retina practice.

PAT Survey: The annual Preferences and Trends Survey (PAT) measures member preferences on a wide range of medical, surgical and socioeconomic topics and allows participants to benchmark themselves against their peers in real time. Members are eligible to participate and to receive survey results. ASRS also offers the Global Trends in Retina Survey examining retina practice trends worldwide.

PUBLICATIONS

ASRS provides first-class publications to keep members well informed about developments impacting retina from socioeconomic and regulatory issues to advances in retina science and practice.

Journal of VitreoRetinal Diseases (JVRD): ASRS's official peer-reviewed scientific journal provides a trusted resource for the highest-quality research and clinical information in the rapidly evolving field of retina. JVRD is published online and in print 5 times a year and is free for members.

Retina Times: This 5-time-yearly print publication covers the latest clinical trials, research, and technology updates, ASRS news and meeting plans, as well as socioeconomic issues and international news.

ADVOCACY

Advocacy Initiatives: ASRS serves as the voice of retina, advocating inside the 'beltway' and beyond on behalf of retina specialists and their patients on an array of legislative and regulatory issues as well as third-party payer issues.